When you heard the word “Wanna Date”, what was the first thing that came to your mind? Probably a dating app, right? Well, you are wrong.
Wanna Date is a vegan spread that’s perfect for individuals who want to switch to a healthier spread instead of consuming the ones that are filled with sugar to the brim. Wanna Date, as you guessed it, is made with dates, adding a natural sweetness to the spread.
Founded by Melissa Bartow, the brand came on Shark Tank, where she secured a deal with Mark Cuban, who is vegetarian and loved the product’s idea. At present, the brand has an estimated net worth of $4 million.
Contents
| Business details: | Flavored Spreads |
| Founders name: | Melissa Bartow |
| Founded in: | 2017 |
| Location (Country): | Brooklyn, New York, USA |
| Investment Asked by Company: | $100,000 for 20% equity |
| Sharks on board (Investors): | Mark Cuban |
| Accepted Deals: | $100,000 for 33% equity |
| Shark Tank Episode: | Season 11 Episode 12 |
| Net Worth | $4 million |
| Business Status: | Active |
| Social Media | Facebook |
| Last Updated: | June 21, 2024 |
Wanna Date was founded by Melissa Bartow, as we mentioned. She was born in Kennesaw, Georgia, and graduated high school there. Following that, Melissa shifted to New York for her college.
There’s not much information available about her personal life but reports suggest that following completing her college, Melissa worked in several roles, including magazine photographer, brand ambassador, etc.
However, Melissa later was hired in a health food store, which was where she got the idea for her business and later executed it.
Melissa, who worked at a “health” food store soon realized during her work that the smoothie bowls they served contained 15 grams of sugar, making them not so healthy for people.
That’s when she started experimenting with the concept of date-based nut butter, with no added sugar in it. She wanted to create a healthier spread, which anyone could eat without any worry or guilt.
After a lot of experimentation, Melissa made the first batch of the product in 2017. She later made the product available in five different flavors. Once she perfected the product, it was ready to be launched to the public.
Melissa Bartow took her brand to Shark Tank asking for $100,000 for 20% equity. She appeared in the eleventh season of the show. During her pitch, Melissa even handed out a few samples to the sharks to try.
Sharks like Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran stepped down but it was Mark Cuban who came forward with a counter deal for the same amount but 33% equity. Melissa agreed to the deal.
Given that Mark is vegetarian, he said that with the vegan revolution around, it won’t be surprising if the brand ended up going to high places in the future.
Right after the episode on Shark Tank, Wanna Date was hit with thousands of orders. The deal with Mark went through, albeit with a slight delay.
Following the growth, Melissa further added new products to their line-up. The most important one is Date Dough. The product is now available on their official website, alongside Amazon and Whole Foods as well.
With the gradual progress that the brand is making, reports suggest that they have hit $5 million in lifetime sales until now. The company’s valuation stands at $4 million.
Popular peanut butter brands like Skippy and Jif add 3 grams and 2 grams of sugar, respectively, but Wanna Date spreads contain no added sugars. The sweetness in these spreads comes from dates. Additionally, Wanna Date spreads are rich in calcium, fibre, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins such as K, A, and B-6.
Unlike peanut butter, Wanna Date spreads have no sodium, cholesterol, or fat. For example, Jif peanut butter has 140 mg of sodium and 16g of fat per serving. On the other hand, Wanna Date spreads are vegan-friendly, oil-free, and ideal for those who have nut allergies.
It has been quite a few years since Wanna Date was on Shark Tank. While many believed that the company wouldn’t thrive, it is still operational and successful even after three years.
The founder and CEO of Wanna Date is Melissa Bartow. She was the one who brought the company to Shark Tank and pitched the brand.
Reports suggest that Wanna Date generates around $450,000 in revenue annually and has a valuation of $4 million, which is pretty amazing, to say the least. Mark Cuban invested in the company.
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